Means for retaining dental instruments with cords connected thereto

ABSTRACT

A substantially rectangular-shaped housing for storing a lengthly cord-type dental instrument. A coiled spring encircles the cord at its rearward fixed end within the housing and a bracket within the housing is adapted to support its forward free end. The flexible bendable cord in its stored position is in a substantially U-shaped compact configuration and is readily inserted in or withdrawn through an opening of the housing. One embodiment shows a single instrument arrangement and another embodiment shows an arrangement for a plurality of instruments.

United States Patent Murata Aug. 5, 1975 [54] MEANS FOR RETAINING DENTAL 3.427.719 2/1969 Gordon et al a. 32/22 INSTRUMENTS WITH CORDS CONNECTED $429516 2/1969 Sharp et a1 THERETO 3,487.850 l/l970 Wahler et al 32/22 X 3.488,849 [/1970 Lieb et al 32/22 [76] Inventor: Hiroshi Murata, 4-1-18 Minamicho warabi- Saitama Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock Prefecture Japan Assistant E.raminer.l. Q. Lever [22] Filed: Jan. 21,1974 [21] Appl. No.: 435,291 {57] ABSTRACT A substantially rectangular-shaped housing for storing a lengthly cord-type dental instrument. A coiled spring a f fgg encircles the cord at its rearward fixed end within the [58] i 248/675 housing and a bracket within the housing is adapted to 5 7 5 319 support its forward free end. The flexible bendable cord in its stored position is in a substantially U- [56] References Cited shaped compact configuration and IS readily inserted in or withdrawn through an opening of the housing. UNITED STATES PATENTS One embodiment shows a single instrument arrange- .020 10/1938 Fehrenbach 248/75 ment and another embodiment shows an arrangement 2,875 496 3/1939 Fox 248/89 X f a m m f instruments 3.180585 4/[965 Pusey et al .r 32/22 X 3,271,859 9/1966 Horowitz et al. M 32/22 9 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED AUG 51975 SHEET PATENTED M19 5 3, 897, 6 31 sum 2 MEANS FOR RETAINING DENTAL INSTRUMENTS WITH CORDS CONNECTED THERETO BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Dental instruments such as a hot-air syringe and a spraying apparatus are provided with Iengthly cords for performing their proper operative uses. However, these lengthly cords are a disadvantage when the instruments are not in use. The present invention aims to obviate such a disadvantage by providing a unique combination of a flexible bendable cord, a coiled spring encircling the rearward portion of the cord and a housing for storing the cord.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to means for retaining dental instruments with cords connected thereto.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a housing for storing a Iengthly cord-type dental instrument and for securing therein the rearward end of the flexible bendable cord in a fixed manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rectangular-shaped housing having an opening through which ingress and egress is made to the forward free end of the dental instrument stored therein.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a housing for retaining a plurality of lengthly cord-type dental instruments on upper and lower wall members therein whereby each of the instruments is stored separate one from another.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a lengthly cord-type dental instrument housing which can be manufactured at a low cost.

In essence, the present invention provides means for retaining dental instruments and includes a substantially rectangulanshaped housing structure having at least one bottom wall means and side walls upstanding from the bottom wall means, the housing structure hav ing side opening means for providing ingress and egress to and from the housing structure; at least one elongated flexible bendable cord means having rearward and forward portions, the innermost end of the rearward portion fixed to the internal side of the bottom wall means; a coiled spring member encircling the rear ward fixed portion of the elongated flexible bendable cord means; the elongated flexible bendable cord means adapted to be stored in a substantially U-shaped compact configuration within the housing structure and adapted to be inserted in and withdrawn from its stored position via the side opening means; and a support member mounted in the housing structure and adapted to support the forward free portion of the elongated flexible bendable cord means One embodiment provides a structural arrangement for supporting a single instrument arrangement and another embodiment provides an arrangement for a plurality of instruments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS How the foregoing objects and advantages are attained will appear more fully from the following description referring to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a plan view of an embodiment for housing a single dental instrument according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along II II line of FIG. 1:

FIG. 3 is a plan view, showing an embodiment for housing a plurality of dental instruments according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, a first embodiment for housing a single dental instrument is disclosed therein. Reference numeral 1 designates a cabinet-like member which is a substantially rectangular-shaped housing. The horizontally oriented housing 1 is composed of two side plates or walls la and 1c and a rear side wall lb and is open on the fourth or front side for providing ingress and egress to and from the housing 1. An upper wall Id is positioned in a spaced parallel manner above a bottom wall Ie. The upper wall 1d is slightly less than one-half the area size of the bottom wall Ie.

Reference numeral 2 designates the free end holder portion of the cord-type dental instrument. The holder portion or handpiece 2 is manually held by the operator and is adapted to receive therein a water syringe, spray, rotary raspatory and the like. The handpiece 2 is attached to a cord 3 which is made of a flexible and readily bendable-type material. A bracket 4 supports the handpiece 2 when the cord-type dental instrument is positioned in its inoperative and stored location within the housing I. The bracket 4 is mounted in an inclined manner with respect to side wall Ic to provide ready accessibility to the outermost end of the forward free portion of cord 3. The bracket 4 has an upstanding vertical portion attached at its bottom edge to a front corner portion of bottom wall 1e and attached at its upper edge to a rearwardly extending horizontal flange and to a frontwardly extending flange that inclines to wards bottom wall 1e and that terminates in a downturned lip portion. The handpiece 2, as seen in FIG. 2, is substantially supported by the front and rear flanges. The innermost end of the cord 3 is permanently fixed to a front portion of the bottom wall Ie by a fixture member 5. A coiled spring 6 encircles about one-third to one-fourth of the total length of cord 3 and covers the rearward portion of the cord 3 commencing at the fixture member 5.

FIG. I illustrates in dark lines the cord 3 in its stored and inoperative position, having a substantially U- shaped configuration. The forward poriton of cord 3 is also illustrated in chained lines to show the instrument in its operative position. The rearward portion of the cord 3 that is provided with the coiled spring 6 is areshaped. The are Ra of the cord is formed by the combined actions of the flexible bendable characteristic of the cord material per se, the spring force of the encircling coil, the pressure exerted by wall la against the cord and the fixed position of the cord at fixture 5. The remaining and substantially noncoiled section of cord 3 by virtue of the flexible bendable characteristic of the cord material per se extends substantially along the side walls 1a, lb and 1c. In this connection, the radii of the arcs produced by the cord 3 at the corners are Rb and Re, respectively. Further, the cord 3 with its holder portion 2, as explained hereinabove, extends outwardly at an angle as a result of the inclined positioned bracket 4 to provide ready accessibility to the dental instrument.

Accordingly, a substantially box-like enclosure with an open front end is formed of the two side walls la and 1c, the rear side wall lb, the upper wall It] and the bottom wall 1e to store the cord 3 in the abovomentioned U-shaped inoperative position.

According to the teachings of the present invention as hereinbefore described, the cord 3 is bent with the aid of the flexible bondable characteristic of the cord material per se as well as the force of the coiled spring 6 along the interiors of the three side walls la, lb and lc of the housing 1. As a result, the handpiece 2 of the dental instrument may manually be removed from the housing l in a single operation by removing the handpiece 2 from the support 4 and withdrawing the cord unit from the housing l. When the dental instrument is reinserted, that is. the handpiece 2 is returned to the support 4, the cord unit will, with the aid of its flexible bendable characteristic, concurrently be placed back to its original stored position within the housing l.

Assume that the reinsertion operation of the cord unit with respect to the housing is carried out only with the aid of the flexible bondable characteristic of the cord material per se with which the cord is provided, it will be unavoidable, particularly in a case where the cord is a relatively lengthy one. that the relatively automatic and accurate reinsertion operation of the cord to its stored position would be difficult. Even if the cord is of considerable elasticity, no satisfactory results will be produced. In other words, the considerable elasticity of the cord would be a strong resistance to the withdrawal movement of the cord whereby smooth handling of the cord unit cannot be accomplished.

According to the teachings of the present invention, r

the cord is provided at its rearward portion with a coiled spring in addition to its flexible bendable material characteristic so that an automatic pulling-in force thereof is present. Thus, even if the cord is a relatively lengthy one, the reinsertion operation of the cord unit to its original stored position within the housing can be easily accomplished. Further, as the cord is provided with the coiled spring, there is no need of providing a strong coil elasticity as would otherwise be required to achieve a smooth and satisfactory handling of the cord unit.

Reference will now be FIGS. to FIG. 3 and 4 showing an embodiment for housing a plurality of dental instruments according to the present invention.

ln this embodiment, an intermediate table 9 is provided at the upper end of an upright supporting post member 8 which forms the forward end ofa horizontal arm 7. Under the table 9, there is provided a lower table or lower bottom wall member 10 which is also fixed to the upright supporting member 8. In addition, above the table 9, there is provided an upper table ll which is supported by a bracket 12 that extends upwardly from the rear end of the lower table 10.

Both sides of the upper table 11 are provided with upstanding side plates or walls 110 and 11b and both sides of the lower table 10 are also provided with up standing side plates or walls 13a, 13b.

A spraying apparatus 14 and a cutting handengine 15 may be placed on the upper table 11. A cylinder 16 and an air turbine 17 may be placed on the lower table 10. Each of these instruments are connected respectively to the cords l8, 19, 20 and 21 all of which are made of a flexible and bendable-type material and are respectively fixed by means of fixture 22, 23, 24 and 25 to each of the table 10 and ll. Further, the innermost ends of the rearward portions of the cords 18, 19, 20 and 21 are provided with coiled springs 26, 27, 28 and 29 respectively.

As is seen in FIG. 3, each of the cords l8, l9, 20 and 21 in their respective stored positions represents a U- shape. The cords 18 and 19, the former being connected to the spraying apparatus 14 and the latter to the hand engine 15, partially make contact with the side walls 11a and 11b of the upper table ll respectively, while the cords 20 and 21, the ormer being connected to the cylinder 16 and the latter to the air turbine 1?, partially make contact with the left side wall 13a and the right side wall 13b of the lower table 10 respectively.

What is claimed is:

1. Means for retaining dental instruments comprising in combination:

a substantially rectangular-shaped horizontallyoriented housing structure having at least one bot tom wall means and at least two side walls upstanding from said bottom wall means, said housing structure having side opening means for providing ingress and egress to and from said housing structure;

at least one elongated flexible bendable cord means having a rearward fixed portion and a forward free portion, the innermost end of said rearward portion secured to the internal side of said bottom wall means;

a coiled spring member encircling said rearward fixed portion of said elongated flexible bendable cord means; said elongated flexible bendable cord means adapted to be stored in a compact coiled manner within said housing structure and adapted to be inserted in and withdrawn from the stored position via said side opening means; and a support member mounted in said housing structure for supporting said forward free portion of said elongated flexible bendable cord means.

2. Means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support member is a bracket having a forward flange portion inclined towards said side opening means and a rearward horizontal flange portion, said forward inclined and rearward horizontal flange portions thereby providing a support for the outermost end of said forward portion of said elongated flexible cord means.

3. Means as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bracket is positioned at oblique angle with respect to said side walls for providing ready accessibility to the outermost end of said forward free portion of said elongated flexible bendable cord means.

4. Means as claimed in claim 2 and includes an upper wall positioned in a spaced parallel manner above said bottom wall means and rearwardly of said side opening means, said upper wall member being less than one half the area size of said bottom wall means and partially supporting the elongated flexible bendable cord means in its stored position.

5. Means as claimed in claim 4 and includes a rear side wall upstanding from said bottom wall means whereby said two side walls, said rear side wall, said upper wall and said bottom wall means forming an enclosure to store said elongated flexible bendable cord table member mounted on a supporting post extending upright through a centrally positioned aperture of said lower bottom wall member.

8. Means as claimed in claim 6 and includes a bracket member mounted externally of the rear of said housing structure for connecting said upper and lower bottom parallel wall members.

9. Means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coiled spring member encircles approximately one third of the entire length of said elongated flexible bendable cord means. 

1. Means for retaining dental instruments comprising in combination: a substantially rectangular-shaped horizontally-oriented housing structure having at least one bottom wall means and at least two side walls upstanding from said bottom wall means, said housing structure having side opening means for providing ingress and egress to and from said housing structure; at least one elongated flexible bendable cord means having a rearward fixed portion and a forward free portion, the innermost end of said rearward portion secured to the internal side of said bottom wall means; a coiled spring member encircling said rearward fixed portion of said elongated flexible bendable cord means; said elongated flexible bendable cord means adapted to be stored in a compact coiled manner within said housing structure and adapted to be inserted in and withdrawn from the stored position via said side opening means; and a support member mounted in said housing structure for supporting said forward free portion of said elongated flexible bendable cord means.
 2. Means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support member is a bracket having a forward flange portion inclined towards said side opening means and a rearward horizontal flange portion, said forward inclined and rearward horizontal flange portions thereby providing a support for the outermost end of said forward portion of said elongated flexible cord means.
 3. Means as claimed in claim 2 wherein said bracket is positioned at oblique angle with respect to said side walls for providing ready accessibility to the outermost end of said forward free portion of said elongated flexible bendable cord means.
 4. Means as claimed in claim 2 and includes an upper wall positioned in a spaced parallel manner above said bottom wall means and rearwardly of said side opening means, said upper wall member being less than one-half the area size of said bottom wall means and partially supporting the elongated flexible bendable cord means in its stored position.
 5. Means as claimed in claim 4 and includes a rear side wall upstanding from said bottom wall means whereby said two side walls, said rear side wall, said upper wall and said bottom wall means forming an enclosure to store said elongated flexible bendable cord means in a substantially U-shaped configuration therein.
 6. Means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bottom wall means includes an upper bottom wall member and a lower bottom wall member arranged in a parallel manner to each other and said elongated flexible cord means includes a plurality of elongated flexible bendable cord members supported on said upper and lower bottom parallel wall members.
 7. Means as claimed in claim 6 wherein said support member is a table member interposed between said upper and lower bottom parallel wall members, said table member mounted on a supporting post extending upright through a centrally positioned aperture of said lower bottom wall member.
 8. Means as claimed in claim 6 and includes a bracket member mounted externally of the rear of said housing structure for connecting said upper and lower bottom parallel wall members.
 9. Means as claimed in claim 1 wherein said coiled spring member encircles approximately one third of the entire length of said elongated flexible bendable cord means. 